An Aurora Police Department request to purchase four drones and equipment to operate them in the amount of $56,500 will be on the unfinished business portion of the Tuesday, Oct. 23 Aurora City Council agenda.
Alderman-at-large Robert O’Connor, who leads the Finance Committee, asked Tuesday at the Committee of the Whole (COW) at Aurora City Hall that the item be placed on the unfinished business portion of the agenda so that he could do some further research.
If approved, the drones would be used in cases, including hostage situations, missing persons investigations, evidence recovery, water rescues, violent offender capture, school shootings, terrorist attacks, and natural disasters.
Representing the Aurora Police Department was Sergeant Andrew Wolcott, who has completed FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) training that all officers operating the drones would need to complete. Council members Tina Bohman, Ward 1, and Rick Mervine, Ward 8, said it may be prudent to look into purchasing drones for the Aurora Fire Department, as well. “This is something that is on the Fire Department’s bucket list,” Mervine said.
In other police business, an agreement between East Aurora School District 131 and the city of Aurora government would allow reciprocal reporting between the School District and the Aurora Police Department. The agreement will be on the consent agenda at the City Council Tuesday, Oct. 23.
If approved, criminal and “quasi-criminal” offenses by students would be shared. City attorney Deb Lang said the city government will work with School Districts 204 and 129 on similar agreements.
According to the agreement, information derived from law enforcement records will be shared with the District, but will not become a part of the official school records of identified students.
East Aurora School District 131 will agree to report any verified incidents involving a firearm in the school, or on school property and any verified incident involving drugs in school or on school property, among other information.
Other Consent Agenda items for October 23 will include:
• A resolution approving a final plan for a four-story parking deck with 503 spaces on the Aurora University campus north of Prairie Street, east of S. Evanslawn Avenue, south of Marseillaise Place and west of S. Gladstone Avenue;
• An ordinance to create a nine-member Advisory Commission on Disabilities;
• An ordinance to merge the functions of two longstanding committees into the FoxWalk Overlay District Design Review Committee;
• A resolution authorizing the acceptance of the Cool DuPage Initiative with a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 10% by 2020 and 20% by 2030;
• A resolution recognizing the importance of pollinators to ecosystem health. The city government will increase plantings of milkweed and other native pollinator plants, install signs near pollinator friendly plantings, and refrain from using insecticides in milkweed areas as much as possible;
• A resolution authorizing the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development to apply for a $400,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for improvements at Wilder Promenade, along the west shoreline of the Fox River just north of downtown.
• An ordinance granting a special use permit for a Jersey Mike’s restaurant with a drive-through on the property at 2340 W. Indian Trail.